Han Ximin, Niu Shuo

ximhan@126.com

HAINAN Airlines has launched a twice weekly Shenzhen-Paris direct flight service, which will operate every Monday and Friday starting Dec. 21.

Under the number HU757, the outbound flight B787-9 leaves Shenzhen at 1:15 a.m. (Beijing Time) and arrives in Paris at 7:15 a.m. (local time). The return flight, HU758, leaves Paris at 11:35 a.m. and arrives in Shenzhen at 5:55 a.m. the following day.

The route is the first direct flight linking the two cities and the ninth intercontinental route that Hainan Airlines operates out of Shenzhen.

It is also the third route from China to Paris operated by Hainan Airlines, following routes from Xi’an and Chongqing. The route from Chongqing to Paris opened Wednesday.

At the inauguration ceremony Thursday, Pascal Millard, economic counsellor of the French Consulate in Guangzhou, said Paris has been one of the top destinations in Europe for Chinese tourists and Shenzhen is one of the most dynamic cities in China. The opening of the route will further improve Paris’ long-haul flight network and promote political, economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Statistics showed that Chinese tourists made a total of 1.1 million visits to Paris in 2017.

“Shenzhen is one of the most important bases and international aviation hubs of Hainan Airlines. The route to Paris will offer an option for travelers from Guangzhou and Shenzhen to Europe. It also marks a step forward for Hainan Airlines in contributing to Shenzhen’s international hub strategy,” said Li Wenbin, deputy director with Commerce Committee of Hainan Airlines.

The opening of the Shenzhen-Paris route brings the total number of international routes operated out of Shenzhen by Hainan Airlines to 16.

In 2018, the airline opened five intercontinental routes to Madrid, Brussels, Vancouver, Zurich and Vienna from Shenzhen. Its international route network from Shenzhen covers Southeast Asian countries, Europe and Australia, and promotes the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Hainan Airlines, established 25 years ago, now has a fleet of 400 aircraft. Its network covers 220 cities around the world.

The Shenzhen airport has opened international routes to 45 world destinations, and its number of international passengers is expected to reach 3.58 million this year, an increase of 34 percent over the previous year.

Total passenger turnover will have reached 50 million by the end of this year, according to the airport.